by Jana Leigh
His blood had boiled when he heard the waitress talking to a trio in the next booth, laughingly tell them that another trio was joining their ranks. The almost wistful tone pissed him off. He would never be able to share a woman—he wanted to be the center of their world.
When he heard the name Sable, his almost exploded. He knew she was close to two of the men, but she was actually sleeping with them, in a relationship with them, it was unacceptable.
Finally he heard the scrape of the key in the lock, the owner was here. Steven had parked his car in the space across from the back door in the alley. There were other cars parked there so he would be able to make sure his car wouldn’t be towed. At least he wouldn’t have to carry her fat ass far. She needed a diet, and that was in his plan anyway.
He read in a book, the ways to break a person. He made a list and one of them was to deny food, and let them starve for a while, then they would become dependent on their master for food, water, even the bathroom. That is what he wanted, Sable to depend on him for her life. Then she would treat him like the man he was.
Sheriff Conner met them on the street when they arrived. Desire and her men were just pulling into the space behind them. Alex scanned the street looking for something, anything out of place.
Sable stood rigidly next to him, trying to keep him calm in case something happened. She could feel the vibrating tension in the air.
“Hey, guys, Sable,” the Sheriff said and tipped his hat. “Gage gave me a buzz, filled me in on things. I have all the deputies on alert. If anyone looks suspicious, we will pull them over. Now listen, you have to remember that we are loosely able to help because the man is dangerous from what it sounds like. But the restraining order was issued in Kansas, unless he commits an actual crime here, we have nothing to hold him with. If he comes after you, we will be able to extend the restraining order to Wyoming, but it is a process. We need him to screw up.”
“Are you saying we should let him do something to commit a crime, and then we can do something? That is bullshit, he could sit outside our house, and we can’t do a damn thing? Nothing?” Alex ground out.
“Sorry, we have to abide by the law here,” Sheriff Conner said.
“What a load of crap,” Slone said fiercely.
“I know, but anti-stalking laws are pretty vague here. We need to do something about it but that is not my job, my job is to enforce the law. He needs to break one so I can do something. Anything,” Conner said apologetically.
“What’s up, girlfriend?” Desire said and grabbed Sable into a hug while the Sheriff explained again the situation.
“Let me draw him out,” Sable said after the men were done arguing. Desire gasped and grabbed her hand and shook her head.
“Fuck no,” Alex bellowed and Sable jumped.
“Listen, I know what he wants. He said it for long enough, if he sees me alone, he will pounce. If you are all hiding or something, watching. I can do this—I can,” she said firmly and confidently. She believed her men would keep her safe, and she also believed that Steven was starting to get desperate if he followed her all the way here. The psychologist told her there was a chance that he would become more dangerous when he did.
The Sheriff thought about it and nodded slowly. “We could make a plan, maybe for next week.”
“NEXT WEEK!” Sable screeched and Desire put an arm around her for support.
“I think what my friend is saying is that a week is a long time,” Desire said.
“Way too long.” Sable huffed.
“It will take that long for us to get it ready. I would not do something like this on the fly. We have to be prepared for all the situations that could arise,” the Sheriff said.
“Whatever,” Sable grumbled and thought, she would snap before then.
“I will call you later.” The Sheriff nodded at Alex who was standing so still and Slone who was frowning.
“Thanks,” Desire said and turned to her husbands. “Boys, we need a little shopping therapy. Let's go.”
Her men laughed and led the five of them to the front of the store and knocked on the door, the owner waved and nodded, holding up the key. Sable stood still and waited next to her tense men. This was going to be a long week, if only the asshole would try to get her before then, maybe they would stand a chance of having a conversation about what the fuck is going on with them.
They were here, he could hear her talking and laughing with their friends. How quaint. She would pay tonight when they were safely away from here, he would make sure of it.
Steven looked around the corner slowly. Her men were staring out the front window, looking around. Dumbasses, they didn’t realize he was so close. That would work to his advantage, the Neanderthals wouldn't know where the hell she went. He was hidden in one of the changing rooms; hopefully she would be directed in here, not the other one. Either way he had a plan, the damn changing rooms were only separated by cloth.
“I have these for you to try on, and I will certainly find some more now that you are here,” the shop owner said.
“All these, I only need a set for when I ride,” Sable argued.
The man with the buzz cut turned to her and said grimly. “We are getting you all set up with clothes. The winters, the summers, everything. That way if we have to order some things they will be here in time.”
Sable frowned and then nodded. “Okay.”
“You are arguing about an entire new wardrobe. Girl, we need to talk,” Desire said and looked at her men who laughed and shook their head and nodded indicating she could purchase some things, too. That was how it should be. Maybe he should figure out how to take both women. The other woman was cute, and maybe she could teach Sable a thing or two, obviously she was already trained.
“This way,” the owner said and Sable nodded and followed him. Steven ducked back into his space, hoping the men would stay out in the shop while he did what he had to do. If not, killing her would be the next option. She couldn’t be allowed to flaunt herself around when she defied him so. Just in case, he had a larger dose of the medication to give her if he needed to dispose of Sable.
“Don’t argue,” Desire laughed and pulled her friend. “You boys stay out here, we will come out and model our new looks.”
Sable shook her head, Alex was wound tight, this really sucked. She saw the pile of clothes the man had gotten for her. Shirts, pants, jeans, coats, everything she would need. She spotted a jean jacket she was gonna love for the fall.
“Let’s go,” Desire said and pulled back the closest curtain. “This is big enough for both of us, Jerry knows what women like, we can stay together and talk.”
Sable nodded and looked back one more time to her men. They were standing at the window still talking to each other.
“First we will try on the shirts, you have to have the right swirly one for line dancing at Boots," Desire said and pulled the curtain shut. “How is it really going?”
“Fucking sucky, Alex is ready to kill anyone who looks sideways at me, and Slone is trying to keep the peace. In other words, you can cut the tension with a knife. All of them are having issues about safety, I think this is raising some issues about their last mission,” Sable said and pulled her shirt over her head. “I just want us to be happy, you know.”
Desire nodded and wiggled out of her pants and then grabbed a skirt she had picked on the sly. Sable didn’t even notice the curtain behind her friend moving. When Steven appeared in the little room, Sable froze when she saw the needle he had pressed to her new friend's neck.
“Let's all stay nice and calm, shall we? We wouldn’t want me to accidently press this into your friend's neck now would we, stay quiet and it will all work out,” Steven whispered.
Fuck, his eyes glittered as if he was high. Sable knew he was serious, and she also knew that if she screamed or ran, he would kill Desire. It was something she couldn’t let happen. Clearing her face, she stood straight and glared at him.
“Got it,” Sable mu
ttered and looked her friend in the face. Desire looked pissed off. She wondered for a second if they could take him. When they talked last night, Desire told her how she had taken a self-defense class, too, at the insistence of her men.
Maybe.
Chapter Eighteen
Sable looked Desire in the eye and said, “Steven, take me and let her go.”
Desire’s eyes widened and she shook her head slightly. Steven tightened his grip on Desire and said, “I don’t think so, you and I both know I will never make it out of the store. No, I think maybe this will work out. She is trained. She can show you some things. Now call out to the people and tell them you will be out in a second. My car is right across from the back door, which is straight ahead. You will slip out of the changing room and I will follow when I put this little dear to sleep. She will be easy to handle. Just so you know, if you make one noise or motion in any way, she is dead. I will be watching.”
Sable looked at her friend and nodded. “I understand,” she said softly making it look like she was complying, but there was no way she was going to walk out that door, if she did, both her and Desire would be dead, she knew from the look on his face. He was playing a card short in his deck. She yelled out they would be ready in a second and the men grunted to each other. Damn, they were distracted.
Desire must have known it too because she used her eyes and looked at the clothes on the floor. Sable nodded slightly and said, “Steven, we need to change, these are not our clothes, they will notice faster if we leave our stuff. Someone will come looking soon.”
Steven rolled his eyes and said, “Who cares, we will be long gone, now look out the curtain and see if anyone is looking. Remember, one false move.”
Sable frowned and looked at her friend who crossed her eyes, and then smiled. What the fuck was she doing? A crazed man had her around the throat and she was making funny faces.
She pulled the curtain slowly and peeked out. She could see the men, they were all engaged in a heated discussion with each other, not paying attention. Damn it, the owner of the store was hunting clothes for her and not looking back here either. Men, she thought and then leaned back, “They are busy.”
Sable frantically tried to think of what she could do and she rubbed her hands on her jeans and almost groaned. Her fucking phone was in her back pocket. She needed time. All of the guys had assigned themselves numbers. When she was in college, she learned to text without looking to her friends. She hoped she remembered.
Sable slid her hand in her back pocket and looked at Steven while she hit the buttons for a group text. “What does the car look like?”
Steven's eyes narrowed and he searched for a reason she was asking questions, apparently, he didn’t know what she was doing because he shook his head in disgust and leaned forward. “It is the gray one right across the alley, now move your fat ass now.”
Sable hoped she had typed correctly. Either she said, ‘Help’ or she said ‘Kelp’ either way they should think something was wrong.
“Okay,” Sable said and hit send. She heard the ding of Alex and Slone’s phones and took a deep breath.
“Slowly, I am watching,” Steven said and she nodded. She looked at Desire and smiled reassuringly she hoped and then took a step toward the curtain as she listened to the frantic whispering of the men and the movement of them coming closer. Steven had to hear it to and so she turned and looked at the bat shit crazy bastard and grinned at Desire.
“Keep watching, asshole,” Sable whispered and Desire lifted her foot and kicked his foot with her cowboy boot, grinding his down hard. Steven yelled and loosened his grip enough so she bent over and threw him over her shoulder.
Sable was waiting and she put her foot on his neck when he tried to move. Just then, she heard the roar of an angry SEAL and she stepped back. Shit, Alex was coming in.
The curtains on either side were ripped down. Slade was on one side and Alex on the other. Both of them focused on the women first and Slade grabbed both women’s arms and pulled them out of the way, as Alex growled and looked down at Steven.
He picked the bastard up, pulled back his arm, and punched him in the face. Steven whined out a cry and tried to protect himself against the blows, but it was useless.
“Slone,” Sable called and saw him try to pull Alex’s arm, as he was set to punch him a fourth time.
“Dude, he is out,” Slone yelled.
“You can’t have her,” Alex yelled. “She is mine to protect.”
“Shit,” Dillon said and tried to push his way into the room to help Slone get Alex off the man. He was pissed, and Sable for the first time realized the hell he went through and the anger that he stored up.
“Alex,” Dillon said and the Sheriff came running into the store with his deputies behind him. He took in the situation, pushed his men back, and looked at the women.
“You okay? Gage called,” the Sheriff said as Alex landed yet another blow. Sable nodded with tears in her eyes and watched as Alex yelled in to the unconscious Steven's face.
“You fucking bastard, trying to get the drop on us,” he yelled and pulled his arm back again.
David stepped in and in a soft voice, he said, “Alex, you are safe, man.”
“No not until he is gone, he was going to blow us all up,” Alex ground out.
“He wasn’t,” David said and put a hand on Alex’s shoulder and made him pause. “Alex, Sable needs you.”
Alex turned and looked at her and she cried and nodded. Alex looked back at the man he held and then around the room. He seemed to come out the haze he was in. Slone relaxed and stepped back but held out his arm, ready to stop Alex if need be. Alex dropped the man, who crumpled to the floor and he rushed to her.
“Sweetheart, did he hurt you?” Alex said and gathered her in his arms and held her tight.
“No,” Sable cried and wrapped her arms around him.
“I was so scared. It was like he was the man who killed Frank,” Alex whispered in her ear and she held him tighter. “I am losing it.”
“No, you’re not, you are too strong,” Sable whispered back and looked at the Sheriff who was cuffing Steven.
Slade stepped forward and said, "He was trying to kidnap the girls, and held this syringe to Desire’s throat and threatened to kill her.”
David nodded and took the needle and held it up before handing it gently to one of his men who appeared behind her with a baggie. David dropped it in and looked at Desire, “I need a statement, from both of you.”
Desire nodded and looked at Sable, “We will be there in a minute, I think our family here has a few things to talk about.”
“Just no talking about the incident until you talk to me. One of my men will stay here to make sure,” David warned and all of them nodded. That is not why they needed a minute anyway. They needed to calm Alex down.
The Sheriff carried out Steven with the help of one of the other deputies and the third one stood with his back to them, obviously listening but still giving them privacy.
“Alex,” Slone said and stepped behind Sable and wrapped his arms around both of them and just held them. Alex was silently breathing deep in her neck trying to gather himself. She felt safe, she knew Alex had been out of control, but he would never hurt her. He could never hurt her.
Desire came to the side and hugged them all and Slade and Dillon followed. They all stood there in a group hug, all of them realizing the gravity of the situation and tried to cope with their emotions. But all of them knew what they had seen.
“I could have hurt you,” Alex said quietly and Sable and Desire shook their head.
“Honey, we didn’t have a penis or a weapon, you would not have hurt us, that's not what we were afraid of,” Desire whispered.
The men mumbled their agreement and Alex lifted his head and looked at Sable and Desire. “I am so sorry I wasn’t paying attention. Damn it. I could have sworn that he would have tried something later. Hell, Frank didn’t even warn me. I am screwed up and m
y actions could have cost you your lives.”
Alex looked tortured and Sable began to cry. “Will you listen to me, Alex, right now,” Sable said sharply through her tears. “I know we don’t know the stuff you have gone through, but I know someone who stored a lot of emotions for way to long. You just released them on the man who threatened Desire and me. I know you would never hurt me. I would never be a threat to you. Damn it, we will hire the best therapist, the best psychologist, hell, the best shrink we can find and they will tell you the PTSD found its release. You only have to be aware of your triggers. Obviously one of them is a threatening situation. But you controlled yourself after you beat the shit out of the asshole. I would have done the same, shit, if you hadn’t been here, Desire and I would have taken care of the prick. But you were here, you saved us. How many women can say the loves of their life saved their life and showed them what love was. You and Slone are my life, you are the best things that have ever happened to me.”
Alex let one tear fall out of the side of his eye; the others he held back and Sable kissed it away. “You are the strongest man I know.”
“Hey,” Slone protested and Sable rolled her eyes.
“Sorry, you are one of the strongest men I know. You and all of Team Ten have nothing to be ashamed of, nothing to be sorry for, and everything to live for. We are your family, all of us, even Desire and her men, they are family because they saw what you did and they are not running from this place screaming bloody murder. No, they are standing here in the dressing room in a group hug with all of us, showing their support. We have found what we were looking for, all of us. A home, people who we can count on, and people who accept us for what and who we are.”
“Damn girl, who knew you were so eloquent,” Slone mused and kissed her on the top of your head. “The hug fest is over though, I am pretty sure someone’s woody is pressing against my back and I am feeling a little too much closeness right now.”